like they are getting spending reductions they think are necessary to reduce the nation's debt been begging you heard the speaker say the word "balanced." that is a key word. let's make that even. i think once both sides get to a number that is pretty close to even, i think we're going to get a deal. host: what is happening today on the house floor? guest: for weeks now, some republicans have been saying what we need to do -- the president has been winning the p.r. campaign on this. what we need to do is pass our own bill to put pressure on the democrats. they will come in today and they will take up a measure that will extend the bush era tax cuts for a certain segment of income earners, those who make below $1 million. it stops the overall tax cuts for everybody which is something the president has been asking for. it raises rates on so-called millionaire's. that gives the president what he has been asking for, basically which is to raise taxes on people who he considers wealthy. the president has a different number in mind. the ones to raise rates on people earning more than 200 -- the o